Donkey Kong 64

 Nintendo 64
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 319 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 260 out of 319
  2. Mixed: 45 out of 319
  3. Negative: 14 out of 319
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  1. Beastprogamer
    Oct 23, 2015
    7
    This game is decent. It's not my favourite Donkey Kong game in the series; however this game is the most unique from others: It's the first 3D Donkey Kong game. The story and controls are fine. King K. Rool is awesome. The character models look good. The Graphics are okay. The Intro is so awesome, it's DK Rap. I like the Smash Bros. Remix slightly better though. Great game though, and youThis game is decent. It's not my favourite Donkey Kong game in the series; however this game is the most unique from others: It's the first 3D Donkey Kong game. The story and controls are fine. King K. Rool is awesome. The character models look good. The Graphics are okay. The Intro is so awesome, it's DK Rap. I like the Smash Bros. Remix slightly better though. Great game though, and you should either pick it up, or download it.… Expand
  2. RobertA.
    Feb 21, 2004
    7
    I completely demolished this game when it came out....about 2 months after i got it i had it beatin 100%.
  3. Daggdroppen
    Jan 4, 2016
    6
    Im playing this game on my Wii U with HDMI 55" TV!

    Graphics: 9/10
    Sound: 6/10
    Controls: 3/10
    Overall: 6/10

    I never played it back in the days. Sure it looks very nice, but it has aged for worse than Mario 64.

    Donkey Kong 64 didnt survive the test of time :/
  4. ALMSOUD94
    Jun 15, 2016
    5
    The Game was innovated And Great Back in The Old Days, But Time Past and The Game started to Aged not in Good Way, Constastly Backtracking, Bad Game Design, Forced Mini Games, but The Game still have DK Charm
  5. mr123
    May 21, 2018
    6
    OK I think this game is good but not 10/10 good. I think this because the game has lots of things to do but I think those tasks are just not all that fun. For example you need to switch characters while playing but only certain kongs can do certain things making you go back to the tag barrel every time you need to do something new. Which can make the game tedious and boring at times. ButOK I think this game is good but not 10/10 good. I think this because the game has lots of things to do but I think those tasks are just not all that fun. For example you need to switch characters while playing but only certain kongs can do certain things making you go back to the tag barrel every time you need to do something new. Which can make the game tedious and boring at times. But the bosses are great and they wanted me to come back to the main game. And the minecart sections are fun and provide a fair challenge. But it is only these things and the music that make me not want to give this game a 4/10 so with those in mind dk64 gets 6/10… Expand
  6. YoloDuckTV
    Dec 30, 2018
    6
    Dinkey Kong 64 is a stupid game. Its a 3D platformer on the n64 with bad platforming. its a collectathon with too many collectibles. Its a game with a lot of **** moments, and yet i still kinda like it. When I first played this game I thought it was a 4/5 really good game, but after looking back at my experience, and watching videos on it. I realized how stupid a lot of **** in this gameDinkey Kong 64 is a stupid game. Its a 3D platformer on the n64 with bad platforming. its a collectathon with too many collectibles. Its a game with a lot of **** moments, and yet i still kinda like it. When I first played this game I thought it was a 4/5 really good game, but after looking back at my experience, and watching videos on it. I realized how stupid a lot of **** in this game is. But before I talk about the **** in this game. Lets talk about what I really like in this game. I love the soundtrack. Grant Kirkhope is a genius and he nails the soundtrack, he really does a good job giving atmosphere to these levels with the music alone. Like frantic factory the dark gloomy sounding music is a perfect representation of the theme of the level and the dark factory setting. The music is incredible. Also I love the DK Rap. I always really like the level design. Yes. I know that each level involves constant back tracking and character specific areas. But the overall level designs themselves are really cool. The Crystal Caves look beautiful for n64, Fungi Forest you get to climb a giant mushroom, and travels to different parts of the forest, and creepy castle. Which is probably my favorite level in the whole game. For some reason the last 3 levels are like the best levels in the game. I also like some of the boss fights. The second dogaddon fight where you turn giant with chunky and punch him. The jack n the box boss fight is pretty cool. And one of the best fights on the n64, King K. Rool. This fight is so god damn good that I wish all the boss fights were like this. Honestly I've been sitting here trying to think of something else I really liked about the game and I just can't, the different characters all have kinda unique personalities I guess. Their different abilities are pretty cool. It's satisfying when you get a banana, or overcome some challenge. OK lets get to the **** 1. BACKTRACKING. When I first played the game I didn't really mind all the backtracking and running through enormous levels just trying to figure out whats going on. But looking back I realize how boring and tedious it actually is. And this could of easily been fixed if you could just push a button, it brings up a screen with all the kongs, and you could just pick one. Why do you have to go back to the barrel so many god damn times. I swear this game has more backtracking than any other damn game. 2. ABSOLUTE ASSETRY. This game pissed me off so much when I played it, that I still writhe whenever i think about these parts in the game. Every single barrel mini game is **** Beaver Bother makes me wanna burn an orphanage down. The slot machine game makes me wanna commit a felony. And all the others suck too. The race with the dune bug in the desert, is suppose to be cool, but it sucks complete ass. All the mine cart segments are ass. The arcade donkey kong mini game isn't that fun, and is also mandatory to beat the game. AND THE WORST SECTION IN ANY GAME EVER MADE. A CHALLENGE THAT WAS DESIGNED BY SATAN HIMSELF TO BE THE WORST **** STAIN ON AN OTHERWISE DECENT GAME. A SECTION SO FOUL THAT SADDAM HUSSEIN WOULD LOOK AT IT AND SAY "THAT'S EVIL." The god damn second rabbit race is the worst section in any video game ever made. I'd rather beat dark souls with key board controls, than ever experience this abomination of video game design. This race demands perfection with every god damn hop with every turn, with everything in general. Not only do you have experience the worst thing in video games. Period. But you have to revisit the level after you get an ability for lanky. And now that I realized I could've cheesed it with a simple glitch. Just makes me livid. Anyway donkey kong 64 is alright. 6/10… Expand
  7. Caestus
    Mar 3, 2013
    7
    Its a good jump ´n run and worth to play but its not overwhelming.
  8. davengo
    May 28, 2011
    6
    This is a far cry from the Donkey Kong Country series for the SNES. The game is too much a collect-a-thon, a problem exacerbated by the fact that you have replay through each level with five different characters, which is a cheap way of lengthening the game and only serves to make a repetitive game even more repetitive. The sluggish controls are a further example of how much this gameThis is a far cry from the Donkey Kong Country series for the SNES. The game is too much a collect-a-thon, a problem exacerbated by the fact that you have replay through each level with five different characters, which is a cheap way of lengthening the game and only serves to make a repetitive game even more repetitive. The sluggish controls are a further example of how much this game strayed from the series platforming roots.… Expand
  9. BrettSiebenhaar
    Jun 1, 2018
    7
    This game reminds me a lot of Banjo-Kazooie, it is good, but not great. I compared this game a lot to Mario 64. To me, Mario 64 set the standard for this type of game on the N64. This game was fun, but kind of dull... But thank you for introducing us to the expansion kit!
  10. Emerald3ME
    Apr 4, 2023
    7
    Solid gameplay utilizing a colorful cast of apes and monkeys that all play extremely unique. Really solid level design as well as incentive to reexplore areas of the world with each Kong that opens up the level design in different way depending on their abilities and specialties. The only pain points of the game have to do with most Nintendo 64 era games, that being the camera. MultipleSolid gameplay utilizing a colorful cast of apes and monkeys that all play extremely unique. Really solid level design as well as incentive to reexplore areas of the world with each Kong that opens up the level design in different way depending on their abilities and specialties. The only pain points of the game have to do with most Nintendo 64 era games, that being the camera. Multiple times I can recall precise platforming being made either more difficult or tedious via the camera.… Expand
  11. Strykersweez
    Sep 1, 2022
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Overall, you play the whole platform genre game to know that you're playing to win a boxing match.… Expand
  12. Yojimbo2015
    Apr 26, 2023
    6
    Another attractive looking, technically impressive but generic 3D platformer that's not as good as Mario 64.

Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best N64 Game of 1999
2
#2 Most Discussed N64 Game of 1999
1
#1 Most Shared N64 Game of 1999

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Nintendorks
    90
    Rewarding gameplay, extremely deep control mechanics, beautiful graphics and sheer gameplay variety are just some of the elements that make this game a triumph.
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  2. Gaming Maxx
    98
    Though some view this as just Banjo-Kazooie with some minor improvements, take it from me, it is far from that. Definitely a candidate that is well deserving of being this years "Game of the Year".
    Read full review
  3. TotalGames.net
    95
    There is so much to do in this enormous, indepth game that you could get sucked into its fantastically animated absorbing world and stay there for weeks. Donkey Kong 64 deseves the fanfare of being the most eagerly-awaited game since Zelda.
    Read full review
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